Ship Cores - The final detonation

[Achriel]

Idea for a 'feature'. Have ship cores actually 'explode' when the countdown completes. Here's what I'm thinking so it's not just some 'ship core bomb' you can toss about:

• When the countdown completes the explosion of the core is in relation to the mass of the ship (remaining blocks). Big ship, big explosion.
• The area of effect of the explosion could be calculated like a missile for damaging any OTHER ships or astronauts in the area. The ship still disappears but it's more dramatic than *poof* gone.
• The cores detonation should be accelerated by more damage to the core (used to due this but I think it's broken right now).
• A large radius effect for a core explosion could be:
  • Scanner charging reset in area of effect
  • Jump Drive charge is lost in area of effect
  • Power stored (capacitor) is reduced in nearly vessels
  • Shield damage (but no hull damage) in nearby vessels.

The cumulative effect of this is both graphic (Wow, did you see the battleship go up!?!) and that being near a ship going critical is actually hazardous and running in to stabilize a core is dangerous.
[DOUBLEPOST=1418410179,1418410009][/DOUBLEPOST]How about adding 'Self Destruct' as well.. for those that just can't bring themselves to scrapping old ships. Same visual effects but no actual damage to anything around them, think of it as a more spectacular delete function.

 

[ltmauve]

Also, a chance for breakoff debris to have an "overheat" and explosion as well would be nice.

 

[Jegan Reavus]

I like the idea of having the ship actually explode when the overheat countdown completes. I also like the secondary effects ideas, but I wouldn't be opposed to an actual explosion with hull damage etc either. It increases the danger factor when trying to stabilize a dying ship.

Perhaps damage and effects of the resulting explosion can be linked to the weapons and other systems remaining on the ship when the countdown completes, I.e.:
A ship with a scanner array drains scanners in the explosion range by some amount,
Passive ion effects strip away shields,
More things like that.

 

[ltmauve]

I think the secondary effects were meant as a way to give a bigger actual explosion without the need for calculating damage for possibly thousands of effects. Closer to the blast you would wind up with just plain old destruction.

Perhaps the blast could set the charge levels of jump drives and whatnot at negative levels, and then it takes time for them to bring them back online before you can start charging?

 

[Mariux]

I like, though I don't see myself using the self destruct function at all.

 

[ltmauve]

I think the self-destruct should be a bunch of small explosions all over the ship. I think I could see someone using self-destruct to punish boarders.

 

[jayman38]

I think the self-destruct should be a bunch of small explosions all over the ship. I think I could see someone using self-destruct to punish boarders.

Indeed. There is even cinematic precedent.

Spoiler: Cinematic Precedent Video

Parental Warning: Geeky-sad moment ahead.

 

[Viridis00]

We need this in the long run, 100%. Imagine how sweet this will be when break off works. A large ship basically exploding and splitting in half slowly drifts apart in space, ready for salvage.

 

[Dragon2000]

i would love a self destruct feature since when in combat and i know i am about to die or close to (less than 1 mill shields on big ships) i would activate the self destruct and ram the enemy ship or possibly if there were boarders i would use it as well (yes i am referring to first contact where they were going to blow up the ship) maybe if it added a warning message that anyone within a certain rage of the core could get a message basically saying abandon ship or were you could do a silent count down where it gives one warning and thats it better listen BUT the big thing it has to have a code to activate self destruct because if not a faction person may go rogue and activate it on your titan which would be bad so yeah self destruct would be cool especially if it had a code ( 0 0 destruct 0) sort of thing but you should also be able to stop a self destruct incase you don't die

 

[Jegan Reavus]

I think the secondary effects were meant as a way to give a bigger actual explosion without the need for calculating damage for possibly thousands of effects. Closer to the blast you would wind up with just plain old destruction.

Good point. This would be a lot simpler.

 

[Magrim]

but you should also be able to stop a self destruct incase you don't die

I keep thinking of galaxy quest where they hit the manual override and it continues to count down lol

 

[Achriel]

I keep thinking of galaxy quest where they hit the manual override and it continues to count down lol

LOL, yes but the countdown continues and always stops at 1... if it's going to stop at all.

I think the secondary effects were meant as a way to give a bigger actual explosion without the need for calculating damage for possibly thousands of effects. Closer to the blast you would wind up with just plain old destruction.

Exactly, detonations secondary effects are meant make a wider range series of effects that don't need damage calculated but in some way make the explosion a bit of a game changer. It could be as simple a sector or sector radius of effect, no grand calculations (think EMP pulse from a nuclear device).

In theory one could use a 'Fire Ship' to detonate near the enemy fleet/station to impacting their shields/jump/scanners just before the main attack fleet arrives (thus I mentioned self-destruct to have no effects). Since large ships have slow countdowns (and big effects) the defenders should try an stop the detonation but regardless there should only be a percentage drop in shields so this cannot drop an unmanned vessels shields.

 

[Valiant70]

I'm not really in favor of a ship just blowing up on its own. It's too cliché. However if they must blow up, I'd rather the explosion come from something... y'know, volatile, rather than the core which is just the main computer.

Instead of the core overheating (Who puts a bomb in the ship's computer core?? Hello!) at least do something more realistic like the power system slowly overloading due to a lack of computer to regulate it.

The system overloads faster when a higher percentage of the ship's reactors and capacitors have been destroyed (presumably making the remainder more unstable). The explosion scales with the number of power blocks on the ship at the time it reaches supercritical and blows up. This means destroying more of the power system will reduce the size of the explosion, but make it happen sooner.

When the ship blows up, several small explosions should occur at random points within the power reactors and capacitors, likely leaving large hunks of the vessel for salvage.

Self-destruct? We could do that already with disintegrators if weapons fire didn't set them off. To implement self-destruct, change disintegrators to ONLY being activated by logic. Mines and rams can use an area trigger to set them off. Since the addition of logic, there is no longer any need for them to explode on contact or when shot.

 

[Achriel]

I'm not really in favor of a ship just blowing up on its own. It's too cliché. However if they must blow up, I'd rather the explosion come from something... y'know, volatile, rather than the core which is just the main computer.

Awesome idea! Though I would thank anything making that much power.. if really damaged would go POW!

Linking weapons for effect make the explosion related to the ship itself.

• Ship Size (dimensions) ~ radius of primary explosion
• Ship Size (total mass) ~ damage of primary explosion
• Power Reactor (number) ~ radius of secondary effects
• Power Capacitor (number) ~ % of power capacitor drain (in area of effect)
• Shield Capacitor (number) ~ % of shield capacitor drain (in area of effect)
• Jump Module (number) ~ % of jump drain (in area of effect)
• Thruster Module (number) ~ intensity of 'push' effect (in area of effect)
• Sensor Module (number) ~ % of scanner 'drain' (in area of effect)
• ??? ~ maybe a 'radar jam' effect for everyone affected (unable to target lock for a time)

 

[SomethingSlimy]

If ship cores will actually explode in the future, then a Metroid-esque countdown timer should display on the screen when you're close to/in a ship. It would make things more exciting for boarders if that ever becomes a normal part of gameplay.

Indeed. There is even cinematic precedent.

Spoiler: Cinematic Precedent Video

Parental Warning: Geeky-sad moment ahead.

That's a ridiculous self destruct explosion. Look at how much of the ship was left! If it weren't for the convenient atmosphere, the ship would be free technology for whatever enemy was nearby in the first place.

Awesome scene through.

 

[Achriel]

Additional idea:
Have blocks/ship salvageable BEFORE the countdown completes, after the explosion destroyed blocks are removed but any remaining have a hidden SECONDARY countdown before they vanish completely (as per the usual *poof* method) but are only salvageable as scrap until that final disappearance. This means large (post explosion) ships will have the much requested 'burned out hull in space' a few people asked for (add some sparkly/electric effects to show it as destroyed).

This should make salvaging a little more hazardous and need to be a bit more rushed. I was thinking this should be added to Pirate/Trade stations specifically so their blocks could be salvaged but the eventual explosion will render the base as scrap (after that you need to use the 'M' and buy the base back from scrap).

 

[SgtFlexxx]

I agree with the visual effect, as well as the ship breaking off into pieces based on it's size. Reminds me of: